CONFIDENTIAL
For discussion
on 10 April 1984
Introduction
機密
XCC (84) 38
Page No..
MEMORANDUM FOR THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
THE CHINESE VISA OFFICE IN HONG KONG
35
(49)
Ms Lather fr. ра аксе Chinese stice
Visa
Tips/+
The purpose of this memorandum is to seek Members advice on the conclusion of an exchange of notes covering the privileges and immunities to be enjoyed by the Visa Office, and their approval for a modified system of monitoring the issuance of replacement passports by the Chinese Visa Office in Hong Kong. The reason for putting the matter to the Council now is because the Secretary of State would like to conclude the UK/China Consular Agreement during his forthcoming visit to Peking : if this is to be achieved, it is necessary at the same time to conclude the
the Exchange of Notes covering the privileges and immunities to be enjoyed by the Chinese Visa Office in Hong Kong.
Background
2
22
see (65)
Members last considered the subject on 27 April 1983 when they discussed Memorandum XCCI(83)49. It was then agreed that the Embassy in Peking should be authorised to agree to separate talks on privileges and immunities, and to indicate the Hong Kong Government's willingness in principle to enact special legislation, if it became clear that this
this agreement of the conclusion
was the final obstacle to agreement, and subject to certain conditions.
The present situation
3
As
a consular
the result of lengthy negotiations between the Embassy and the Consular Department of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Peking we are very close to an agreement on the wording of an exchange of notes covering the privileges and immunities for the Visa Office. Hong Kong legislation would subsequently be enacted to accord the agreed privileges and immunities to the Visa Office. The Council's permission to introduce the bill into the Legislative Council would be sought in due course. A preliminary draft bill, prepared in 1981, was
was attached XCCI(83)19
to Memorandum XCCI (83) 19 for' illustrative (10) purposes. The format of the bill to likely to be different: it will spell out the privileges and immunities, using wherever possible the language of the relevant parts of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. The purpose remains that of granting a degree of privilege and immunity ΠΟ greater than is available to Consulates and Commissions in Hong Kong.
CONFIDENTIAL
be introduced is
now
HKK 349/1
機密
3491
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